U.S. Greco-Roman World Team members to compete in tough German Grand Prix, August 18-19
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Sam Hazewinkel and Max Nowry mix it up at the 2018 Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Tulsa. Both will compete this weekend at the Grand Prix of Germany. Photo by Austin Bernard.
All 10 members of the 2018 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team, along with some other Greco-Roman National Team members, are scheduled to compete in the Grand Prix of Germany in Dortmund, Germany, August 18-19.
The U.S. team will use this highly-competitive international tournament as their tune-up event prior to the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, October 20-28.
Leading the U.S. World Team are three past Olympic Team members, Sam Hazewinkel (Guthrie, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jesse Thielke (Beresford, S.D./New York AC/Legends of Gold) at 63 kg/138.5 lbs. and Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Coleman competed in Greco-Roman and Hazewinkel wrestled in freestyle at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Thielke wrestled in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Coleman has been on two previous Senior World Teams (2013 and 2017), while Thielke was also a 2013 Senior World Team member. Hazewinkel is on his first Senior World Team.
Three-time U.S. World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC/OTC) is competing at 87 kg/191.5 lbs. Two-time World Team member and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will enter at 97 kg/213 lbs.
2018 Junior World champion Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/OTC) competes at 77 kg/169.5 lbs. Bey will compete at both the Senior and Junior Worlds this year.
First-time Senior World Team members are on the tour: Dalton Roberts (Fowlerville, Mich./New York AC/NMU-OTS) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Jon Jay Chavez (Boise, Idaho/Finger Lakes WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs., Geordan Speiller (Oviedo, Fla./Florida Jets) at 82 kg/180.5 lbs. and Adam Coon (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) at 130 kg/286 lbs.
There are five other top U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers from the national team program who will wrestle in Germany: Max Nowry (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Taylor LaMont (Mapleton, Utah (Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Alejandro Sancho (Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., Joe Rau (Chicago, Ill. (Minnesota Storm/Chicago RTC) at 87 kg/191.5 lbs. and Luke Sheridan (Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 97 kg/213 lbs. Rau was a member of the 2014 Senior World Team.
Every athlete on this tour has represented the USA at a World Championships event at the Senior level, the age-group level,, or both. Among the past age-group World medalists on the delegation are Hazewinkel, Nowry, LaMont, Thielke, Coleman, Chavez, Bey, Hancock and Coon. Hazewinkel and Nowry are past University World champions, while Bey won a Junior World title.
The U.S. Greco-Roman team is coming off a great week of training camp, held in Las Vegas, Nev., which included both Senior and age-group Greco-Roman stars.
“It was an incredible opportunity to get four different teams together. We had three different World Teams, our Junior, U23 and Senior World Teams all working, growing and improving together. We also had our Pan Am Junior Team there. Everybody is on the same page. We are starting to get the team moving in the same direction, working together. This really helped raise the level of our Juniors and U23 athletes, to get them to the next level,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
The Senior athletes who will compete in Germany will put their training camp efforts into practice against top international opponents.
“The specifics we worked on in that camp was to help everyone develop their attack plan, not letting the fight come to them, taking the fight to their opponents, and having a strategy to do that. They were drilling it, training it, and putting it into application, where they are using their best attacks. We will get a chance to see where we are at, if there are any adjustments to make, and things to fix between now and the World Championships. We have enough time between now and Budapest. Performance is what matters. Results, we always want to see results, but more important than focusing on results is focusing on what we are doing. We will see how well our plans are working,” said Lindland.
On Saturday, August 18, preliminary competition will be held in all weight classes, going through the semifinal round. Sessions on Saturday are at 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., which is five hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time. The tournament concludes Sunday, with one big session including the repechage and finals, starting at 10:00 a.m.
After the German Grand Prix, Team USA will remain in Germany for an international training camp, another key part of the World Championships preparation.
2018 GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
At Dortmund, Germany, August 18-19
U.S. Greco-Roman Delegation
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sam Hazewinkel, Guthrie, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Max Nowry, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Dalton Roberts, Fowlerville, Mich. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Taylor LaMont, Mapleton, Utah (Sunkist Kids)
63 kg/138.5 lbs. - Jesse Thielke, Beresford, S.D (New York AC/Legends of Gold)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Alejandro Sancho, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Jon Jay Chavez, Boise, Idaho (Finger Lakes WC)
77 kg/169.5 lbs. - Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC)
82 kg/180.5 lbs. - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
87 kg/191.5 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC)
87 kg/191.5 lbs. – Joe Rau, Chicago, Ill. (Minnesota Storm/Chicago RTC)
97 kg/213 lbs. – G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Luke Sheridan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
130 kg/286 lbs. – Adam Coon, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC)
National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Zac Dominguez , Papillion, Neb.
Coach: Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: JD Robbins, Oviedo, Fla.
Medical - Rod Rodriguez, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Referee: Nicholas Mancini, Boardman, Ohio
Event schedule (5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time)
Saturday, August 18
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Qualification rounds
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Semifinals
Sunday, August 19
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Repechage, Finals and Award Ceremonies
All 10 members of the 2018 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team, along with some other Greco-Roman National Team members, are scheduled to compete in the Grand Prix of Germany in Dortmund, Germany, August 18-19.
The U.S. team will use this highly-competitive international tournament as their tune-up event prior to the 2018 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, October 20-28.
Leading the U.S. World Team are three past Olympic Team members, Sam Hazewinkel (Guthrie, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Jesse Thielke (Beresford, S.D./New York AC/Legends of Gold) at 63 kg/138.5 lbs. and Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Coleman competed in Greco-Roman and Hazewinkel wrestled in freestyle at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Thielke wrestled in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Coleman has been on two previous Senior World Teams (2013 and 2017), while Thielke was also a 2013 Senior World Team member. Hazewinkel is on his first Senior World Team.
Three-time U.S. World Team member Patrick Martinez (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC/OTC) is competing at 87 kg/191.5 lbs. Two-time World Team member and 2017 Junior World bronze medalist G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) will enter at 97 kg/213 lbs.
2018 Junior World champion Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids/OTC) competes at 77 kg/169.5 lbs. Bey will compete at both the Senior and Junior Worlds this year.
First-time Senior World Team members are on the tour: Dalton Roberts (Fowlerville, Mich./New York AC/NMU-OTS) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Jon Jay Chavez (Boise, Idaho/Finger Lakes WC) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs., Geordan Speiller (Oviedo, Fla./Florida Jets) at 82 kg/180.5 lbs. and Adam Coon (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) at 130 kg/286 lbs.
There are five other top U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers from the national team program who will wrestle in Germany: Max Nowry (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 55 kg/121 lbs., Taylor LaMont (Mapleton, Utah (Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Alejandro Sancho (Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., Joe Rau (Chicago, Ill. (Minnesota Storm/Chicago RTC) at 87 kg/191.5 lbs. and Luke Sheridan (Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) at 97 kg/213 lbs. Rau was a member of the 2014 Senior World Team.
Every athlete on this tour has represented the USA at a World Championships event at the Senior level, the age-group level,, or both. Among the past age-group World medalists on the delegation are Hazewinkel, Nowry, LaMont, Thielke, Coleman, Chavez, Bey, Hancock and Coon. Hazewinkel and Nowry are past University World champions, while Bey won a Junior World title.
The U.S. Greco-Roman team is coming off a great week of training camp, held in Las Vegas, Nev., which included both Senior and age-group Greco-Roman stars.
“It was an incredible opportunity to get four different teams together. We had three different World Teams, our Junior, U23 and Senior World Teams all working, growing and improving together. We also had our Pan Am Junior Team there. Everybody is on the same page. We are starting to get the team moving in the same direction, working together. This really helped raise the level of our Juniors and U23 athletes, to get them to the next level,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland.
The Senior athletes who will compete in Germany will put their training camp efforts into practice against top international opponents.
“The specifics we worked on in that camp was to help everyone develop their attack plan, not letting the fight come to them, taking the fight to their opponents, and having a strategy to do that. They were drilling it, training it, and putting it into application, where they are using their best attacks. We will get a chance to see where we are at, if there are any adjustments to make, and things to fix between now and the World Championships. We have enough time between now and Budapest. Performance is what matters. Results, we always want to see results, but more important than focusing on results is focusing on what we are doing. We will see how well our plans are working,” said Lindland.
On Saturday, August 18, preliminary competition will be held in all weight classes, going through the semifinal round. Sessions on Saturday are at 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., which is five hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time. The tournament concludes Sunday, with one big session including the repechage and finals, starting at 10:00 a.m.
After the German Grand Prix, Team USA will remain in Germany for an international training camp, another key part of the World Championships preparation.
2018 GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
At Dortmund, Germany, August 18-19
U.S. Greco-Roman Delegation
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sam Hazewinkel, Guthrie, Okla. (Sunkist Kids)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Max Nowry, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Dalton Roberts, Fowlerville, Mich. (New York AC/NMU-OTS)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Taylor LaMont, Mapleton, Utah (Sunkist Kids)
63 kg/138.5 lbs. - Jesse Thielke, Beresford, S.D (New York AC/Legends of Gold)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Alejandro Sancho, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Jon Jay Chavez, Boise, Idaho (Finger Lakes WC)
77 kg/169.5 lbs. - Kamal Bey, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC)
82 kg/180.5 lbs. - Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets)
87 kg/191.5 lbs. - Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC/OTC)
87 kg/191.5 lbs. – Joe Rau, Chicago, Ill. (Minnesota Storm/Chicago RTC)
97 kg/213 lbs. – G’Angelo Hancock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
97 kg/213 lbs. – Luke Sheridan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
130 kg/286 lbs. – Adam Coon, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC)
National Greco-Roman Coach Matt Lindland, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Zac Dominguez , Papillion, Neb.
Coach: Herb House, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: JD Robbins, Oviedo, Fla.
Medical - Rod Rodriguez, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Referee: Nicholas Mancini, Boardman, Ohio
Event schedule (5 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern time)
Saturday, August 18
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Qualification rounds
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Semifinals
Sunday, August 19
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. - Repechage, Finals and Award Ceremonies
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